The Tampa Bay Lightning are once again facing a 3-1 deficit in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Maple Leafs. However, the team remains calm and collected, knowing that they have faced adversity before and have come out on top.
Coach Jon Cooper expressed that most people picked the Leafs to beat the Lightning, but he believes that the team has done a lot of what they wanted to do. Cooper believes that if the team continues doing what they are doing and just does it 2% better, they can turn the tide in their favor.
The Lightning have controlled much of the series, with a 7-3 victory in Game 1 and leading both Game 3 and Game 4 deep into the third period. Although lapses allowed Toronto to come back and earn a pair of overtime wins, the team is determined to focus on extending their season one outing at a time.
The Lightning have overcome two series deficits in the first round against Toronto just last season, giving them a lot of confidence in their ability to come out on top. Forward Pat Maroon expressed the group’s belief in themselves despite the tough situation.
Despite the evenly matched games and high shot volumes on either side, the Lightning’s blue line has been affected by defenseman Erik Cernak’s injury, who was elbowed in the head by Toronto forward Michael Bunting in Game 1 and hasn’t played since. Bunting was subsequently suspended for three games, but the Lightning are not leaning on excuses.
The team is not taking their past comebacks for granted, as they recognize that the Maple Leafs have a say in what goes on in the series. The Lightning are focused on remembering the feeling and how hard it was to actually accomplish those comebacks, to ensure that they do not take anything for granted.
The Lightning have had two days to rest and reflect and are ready to face the challenge ahead. The team is confident that they can turn the series around and extend their season.
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